Teen struck by vehicle in front of Cape High

October 16, 2013

A teen crossing Santa Barbara Boulevard in front of Cape Coral High School was injured Wednesday morning after she was struck by a passing vehicle.

Arriving firefighters found the teen lying in the road, officials said, adding she was unconscious and appeared to have suffered "a significant head injury as indicated by the damage to the windshield of the vehicle."

The accident happened at approximately 6:45 a.m. and the medical response was almost immediate, a release issued by the Cape Coral Fire Department states.

Firefighters on Truck 4 responded from Fire Station 4. which is just three blocks from the accident location in the 2300 block of Santa Barbara Blvd S. Rescue 4, returning from another call, actually arrived ahead of Truck 4, within moments of the 911 calls, the release states.

The driver of Rescue 4, paramedic Nick Spera, immediately initiated care and, by the time the ambulance arrived, the patient was already prepared and ready for transport. Dispatch logs indicate the ambulance was on scene for less than three minutes before transporting.

At last check, the patient was listed in critical condition in the hospital, officials said.

Fact Box

The Cape Coral Fire Department has offered some safety reminders for parents to share with children:

If your children need to use a cell phone, make sure they stop walking and find a safe area to talk. When using headphones, kids should be sure to look up and pay extra attention and remove the headphones when crossing the street.

Cross streets at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks. Most injuries happen mid-block or someplace other than intersections.

It's always best to walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible.

Tell kids to look left, right and left again when crossing the street. Teach them to never run or dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.

Remind kids to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them and to watch out for cars that are turning or backing up.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the State of Florida has seen an average of 500 fatal pedestrian crashes statewide over the past eight years with annual numbers ranging from a high of 530 in 2006 to a low of 467 in 2008.

Unfortunately, when it comes to walking safely, teenagers are now the most at-risk youth for pedestrian injuries, officials said. Cell phones and other handheld devices are causing teens to be more easily distracted, which is leading to greater risk on the roads.

Source: Cape Coral Fire Department

The investigation is being handled by the Cape Coral Police Department, the CCFD release states adding, however, that visual cues at the scene, including vehicle location, indicate the patient appeared to have been crossing the roadway away from a designated crosswalk.